The HIll : Redux (FiveCore: Company Command)

Saturday night saw my second game using Nordic Weasel's FiveCore: Company Command.

For the scenario, I used The Hill, from 2x2 Small Crossfire Scenarios - but just using the infantry, mortars, and HMG (no engineers, mine fields, etc). US would be the attacker and Germans the defender. This time, I opted to use a 3' x 3' playing area primarily because I was being overrun by a curious cat when I tried to set up on the floor.

Things look a little cramped, but with so few units involved, it didn't feel any great hindrance.


The setup:

That's a pumpkin in the upper left. I really want to put a 'Santa hat' on it, but I can't find mine.

The Germans deployed two squads to hold the hill, with the mortar deployed behind it - as it was out of sight, and couldn't be shot by any attacking unit, I didn't feel that it needed a hiding status - while the HMG deployed on the German right, and a squad on the far left. Heavy weapons units don't do well when assaulted, generally (although last game they did OK), so I thought I'd try holding the hill with two squads instead.

Since the attacker has the initiative, the US, as last time, opted to declare deployment for their first turn and advanced accordingly on the left and right, to the far edge of the woods on the left and right, while I held the mortar and a single squad in the center.

The Germans on their part of the turn popped up - but only 3 of the 5 could because they had to be in combat stance. The MG was forced back to hiding, while the squad on the left got some shots off and forced one of the American squads to panic.

Contact!

On turn 2, the US forced the assault forward and overran the German HMG (hiding and a heavy weapons crew is not a good combination for fighting off a close assault). While on the American right, the German squad was forced to retreat the woods to their rear.

On turn 3, one of the German squads on the hill was forced to retreat in a panic thanks to accurate shooting from the American left.

By turn 4, the US assault was fully underway - the left flank had wrapped on and around the hill (threatening the German mortar, who would give a good accounting of themselves in the assault that followed). The center squad also began moving up, as protecting the American mortar was no longer a priority.

Intense fighting near the hill and in the woods.

 At the end of turn 5, the US had control of the hill, the German mortar had been silenced, and although a few of the American squads had morale issues, so too did the two remaining German squads.

On turn 6, I could only activate one of the remaining German squads so, I decided there was no point in playing out the last turn. American victory.

From the German point of view, you can see the American assault covering the table from left to right, in the middle and backgrounds.

Some thoughts:

• I went with 9" movement to preserve the ratio of  moves to table size (the scenario calls for a 2' x 2' table, and with the 6" RAW move, that's 4 moves x 4 moves.). I think a case could be made for 6" moves for a 3' x 3' playing area, since the rules explicitly state that as a table size the rules were designed for - albeit with 1.5" square bases. As it was, the 9" move seemed to work well enough,  given the 6 turn limit I set.

• The aggressive assault by the US made a lot more sense than my previous effort. The objective is to take the hill after all, not engage in an extended fire fight.

• The defender suffers a bit in combat stance: activating half of their units amounts to  never more than 3, and more often, it was just 2 units. This is a consequence of the very small game, not really a problem of the rules themselves.

• The QRS for Company Command could use some more information on it. A two-page QRS would be ideal (1 sheet, front and back) - at least for me. So I'm making my own with what I need right now. I imagine later, I may be able to get away with one side.

• I messed up a few things - facing and which friendly units could "spot" for the light mortar (a friendly unit within one move is the correct answer). I added both of those to my QRS.